Wilson is right that he has a long way to go. As a passer, Wilson isn’t close to the best in the NFL right now, let alone the best ever. He’s never led the league in any major statistical category and hasn’t even been particularly close. Wilson has a Super Bowl ring, but so does Trent Dilfer. You don’t need to be a great quarterback to earn a Super Bowl ring with a great defense.

At age 25, however, Wilson has plenty of time to get better. What he’s already accomplished in his first two NFL seasons is impressive, and from all accounts Wilson is the kind of player who backs up his talk about wanting to be great with the necessary amount of hard work.

Wilson is part of a strong group of young quarterbacks who have entered the NFL in the last few years, along with Andrew Luck, Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick. Some day Wilson may turn out to be the best of that bunch and among the best of all time. But he has a long way to go.

That’s called an “inside thought” Russell. Fine to believe it, but don’t say it. Oh, and it won’t happen anyway. Montana will always be the undisputed champion, especially now that Manning and Brady have both lost two SB’s.

I respect Wilson because he has fought through adversity in college, is typically humble and is “undersized” to be an NFL QB. With that said, he has a long way to go to be the best ever. If you look at the stats and championships compiled by the likes of Brady, Manning, Montana and Unitas (to name a few) he isn’t even in their league yet. Stay humble and focused Russell.

Russell Wilson’s first 2 seasons he’s had 26 TDs, 9 INTs and 26 TDs, 10 INTs. 100+ QB Rating in each one, 2 playoff appearances including a Super Bowl win. I can’t remember any QB having a better first 2 seasons than what he’s had so far.

tformation says:Apr 3, 2014 11:58 AM

Not a Seahawks fan, but I am a Russell Wilson fan. The man has goals. He wants to be the best ever. Can’t fault him for that.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll watch any game with Russell as QB. The man puts on quite a show.

kuranda84 says:Apr 3, 2014 11:59 AM

Good for him. This guy has a great mentalilty when approaching the game. He’s a very good person. Let’s hope he stays humble and healthy.

Give this guy a chance, if there is people calling Peyton Manning “the best ever” even with a losing record in playoffs and choking every year why not Wilson, who is playing better every year and has SB ring now.

Agree Wilson has a long way to go if it’s even possible, but disagree he’s never led the NFL in any passing stats. RW is the only QB in NFL history to finish his first two season in the league with a QB rating over 100 and he’s only second in TD’s behind Dan Marino. Efficiency and touchdowns are pretty important…

metalhead65 says:Apr 3, 2014 12:36 PM

not a seahawks fan but what is wrong with wanting to be the best? there is a big difference between a guy wanting to be the best and setting that as his goal than somebody claiming to be the best. I don’t understand how anybody can consider saying something like this trash talking and hold it against him. the league would be better off if there were more guys like him than the look at me guys out there now.

eagleswin says:Apr 3, 2014 12:37 PM

Wilson is part of a strong group of young quarterbacks who have entered the NFL in the last few years, along with Andrew Luck, Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick.

—————————

I guess Nick Foles doesn’t count as a good young QB? He did finish #1 overall in QBR with a 27-2 TD/INT ratio.

You left the guy off of the list that had better numbers last year than anyone else you mentioned if you take into consideration the number of starts he made, Nick Foles…just sayin’, you can’t argue with the numbers.

khmer379 says:Apr 3, 2014 12:40 PM

The only seahawks player I like hopefully his ego don’t end up like Sherman..

34sweetness says:Apr 3, 2014 12:41 PM

I love how humble the Seahawks are. It’s so refreshing.

garyman1 says:Apr 3, 2014 12:50 PM

He’s good….he’s not THAT good.

mondzy805 says:Apr 3, 2014 12:51 PM

So Mr. Wilson thinks he can be the best QB ever. What a Humble guy. Like the 12th Man. Lol.

Anyone who thinks this is bragging, arrogance, or thinks this means Wilson isn’t humble obviously knows nothing about the dude.

Exactly the opposite. This is the sort of work effort and goal-setting we all wish we had, wish our kids had, and should admire in anyone that has it. Wanting to be the best and put in the work. He didn’t say “I AM THE BEST” or “I WILL BE THE GREATEST”, he said that he wants it, he wants to work hard and achieve it.

If you have a problem with that, then I’d like to know what it is you bother watching sports for in the first place.

Last time I checked Russell threw more touchdown passes then ANY QB IN HISTORY beating out none other then Mr.Manning!! Keep throwing hate his way but he very well could become the very best quarterback to ever play the game and I for one am so thankful he wears the blue and green!!! His leadership and ethic alone makes this a possibility over guys like Kaepernick and newton! And if all else fails at the least he will rake in the titles while he is trying!!!! Haha. Good luck keeping up with him!!!

Can someone explain to me why it’s egotisitcal of Wilson to want to be the best?? I’m confused by some of the comments here. He doesn’t ever say he is the best right now, just that he wants to be the best but has a long way to go. Doesn’t sound like he has an ego to me, sounds like someone who just sets high goals for himself to acheive. Clearly there are people who don’t know the difference between someone who is driven and someone who is egotistical…

Good for you Wilson. You are the exact role model that all fans want to see in their QB. Thumbs down if you’re a jealous hater that has no respect for people who set goals or work to support their community on a weekly basis.

Wilson is carried by a defense, it’s great winning games scoring less than 20 points on offense and he deserves some credit but but i’m sorry you’re a more an elite game manager.

There’s 20 QB’s could of won that Super Bowl with the Seahawks defense.

If a team had to start from scratch with no players and just pick the QB no GM would pick Wilson ahead of Luck or Cam those guys would be good whatever team they were on, Wilson needs a good running game and defense.

Tell me what QB wouldn’t be good with the best defense and top 5 running game?

Remember Mark Sanchez getting to 2 AFCCG games with a top 5 running game and defense, yeah that’s how much it helps you.

Wilson won a SB. Those other chumps at QB didn’t. He’s better than trent dilfer, dont compare him to trent.

Eat ya heart out haters.

theytukrjobs says:Apr 3, 2014 1:17 PM

He’s not even a top 15 QB today. He’s a guy with a great defense and running game who manages the offense. If they didn’t have such a great defense, and were finishing out of the playoffs, people would be talking about whether Seattle should draft a QB.

He doesn’t throw for very many yards or TD’s. He’s a short dude with an epic great defense who gets to brag about how awesome he is for their accomplishments.

I really believe many sports writer and the casual fan has no clue who is a football talent and who isn’t. They listen what other analysts or writers say and jump on that bandwagon with no substance. Wilson helped take the Seahawks to another level and was key in winning a Lombardi. In first two years he is ahead of every NFL QB in history throwing TD’s as well as wins.

NFC Championship game we played a defense that was just as tough and that 4th down bomb to Jermaine Kearse was clutch. I don’t see many other top tier QB’s winning Super Bowl missing their two top starting WRs nearly all season and 3/5 the offensive line 8 out of 16 games. Give a Seahawk fan that young QB list to pick from as who will be their franchise QB it will be Wilson over and over. He’s already a Super Bowl Champion. Go Hawks!

Wilson has the work ethic to be an all time great. First one in, last one out. With that being said, I have a feeling that there are going to be increasing external distractions for Wilson, and a number of players on the current roster. In 2 years we’ll hardly recognize this current teams roster. It happens to all SB winning teams. Gotta keep getting lucky in the draft and remain injury free

I’m 99.99% certain that any starting QB in the NFL and probably even their backup QB would have won the Super Bowl with the way Seattle’s defense played. Seahawk bandwagoners, enjoy it while it lasts and you are forced to pick a new “favorite team”.

Love the journalistic spin – he never said “I can be the best ever,” nor did he indicate he thinks has any more of a chance than anyone else to be remembered as the best ever, nor did he directly say “I want to be the best ever”.

What he said went right back to the recurring theme, “why not me?” A great message to teach self-confidence lost in all this slant.

Joe Flacco said he was the best playing right now(slightly different than GOAT) THEN backed up his words with a SB MVP and ring, but he was crucified in the media and by non-Ravens fans for thinking too highly of himself. RW says he can be the best QB in history AFTER getting a ring, and he’s viewed as “humble” and a “good-guy”.

Flacco is the least flashy yet most hated dude I’ve ever seen play.

raideralex99 says:Apr 3, 2014 2:12 PM

Wow … I did not know playing 2 years in the NFL with a great defence puts you in the HOF.

People should put this comment in perspective. Suppose he said he could never be the best ever when asked that question….that is not the positive viewpoint you should have in any sports.

He answered the way he should, and it wasn’t of his own origination to ask/answer this question – the reporter who was asking it.

tipstopten says:Apr 3, 2014 2:18 PM

One super bowl? Terry, Joe, John, Dan, Steve, Phil,Brett,all of the Mannings and many
more were better. Stop talking and just
play football and we will all see if you if can
stand at the top of the mountain.

steelerdeathstar says:Apr 3, 2014 2:21 PM

Don’t know about him being the best ever, but he’s already pretty doggone good, and will likely get a lot better still…

Russell Wilson need to first learn that he is a average QB that needs that Defense and the running game for him to be successful. He will never be able to carrry a team. As Bill Parcell would say just drive the bus and let the defense and the running game win for us. Wilson probably would not start for half the teams in the league. Just be happy you in Seattle with that defense.

There is no better way to prove what an idiot you are than to trash Russell Wilson, especially based on stats. ThevSeahawks wouldn’t trade him for any QB in the league right now. He makes plays and throws that quite simply, no one else in the NFL can make. If the Seahawks needed him to throw for 300 yards every game, he could do it.

They don’t.

And if you want stats, here’s some for ‘ya.

More TD passes in 1st 2 years than any QB in NFL history. He broke Peyton Manning’s record. PEYTON MANNING.

More wins in his 1st 2 years than any QB in NFL history.

1 Super Bowl victory with a passer rating of 123.5.

Trash him all you want. We’ll just continue to enjoy our Lombardi and laugh at you.

He hasn’t many great games, but he doesn’t mess up a ton .. and it’s a great era to be a QB with the rule changes favoring the offense so he could be one of the best in this crop of QB’s .. very likable guy

luckyarmpit says:Apr 3, 2014 2:56 PM

“Wilson is part of a strong group of young quarterbacks who have entered the NFL in the last few years, along with Andrew Luck, Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick.”

He’s got one Super Bowl. That’s a good start. Now he needs to get better statistically and win some more Super Bowls. Just the wins wont do it. There are other QBs like Bradshaw with 4 Super Bowls and Aikman with 3 Super Bowls that are never talked about in the top 5 of all time.

Did any of you guys read the article ? He never said he was the best he said he wants to be the best and has a long way to go without russell the seahawks would be 10-6 with no qb and a good defense he’s a gem that everybody passed on. Why not Russ?

snoqualmkanem says:Apr 3, 2014 3:36 PM

People who say that he owes it to the defense are forgetting the fact that he has thrown for more touchdowns in 2 years than any other QB.

Saying he id “carried” by the defense is a silly comment. No team can win without a good defense.

Romo is a very good QB, but he doesn’t have the defense that Wilson has.

Go back and watch the Superbowl again with an open mind. Wilson makes serveral clutch plays.

It isn’t his fault that the o-line is “pedestrian” at best. You will never hear him say that though.

He conducts himself professionally. He does not say “I am the greatest” he says he is far from it, but that it is a goal.

Yeah Russ, Ruthlessbooger thought the same after he won his first Lombardi with the steelers having a great defense aoround him as you do in Seattle. When you start believeing your own hype is usually when karma shows you otherwise. Stay humble, or you might end up like Bloated Ben the most disliked QB in the league.

You know, he seems like a good kid, talented athlete, etc… But my experience has always been that if you feel like you have to tell everyone how good you are (or will be), then you’re probably not as good as you think you are.
How many times did Montanta, Elway, Marino, Aikman, Young have to tell the media about how they were going to be the best ever?

He didn’t look “all that” last season at home against the Cardinals…LOL! Just say’n, the kid’s got talent but I liked him better when he at least APPEARED
somewhat humble. He needs a little more time in the league before he goes all Marshawn Lynch or Shermanator on us!

Step 1: Rank at the top of the league in a category.
Step 2: Become the best QB in his conference.
Step 3: Become the best QB in the league.
Step 4: Repeat step 3 for at least 8 years.
Step 5: Be named MVP and Super Bowl MVP several times.

Tom Brady and Manning can’t even run and easy to sack, but their considered among the best ever. Thus, no QB was “ever” perfect. But he’ll have to take up those guys style of play before he can seriously target that goal.

wimpyburgers says:Apr 3, 2014 5:21 PM

I was a bit concerned as to how Russell Wilson would act after he and the Seahawks won the Super Bowl. After all, we’ve seen how hard it is to stay hungry once teams reach the pinnacle.

But when I hear this comment from Wilson, I’m less concerned about his motivation now. He answers a direct, blunt question and sets himself a goal at the same time.

The kid is special.

jimmydixx12 says:Apr 3, 2014 5:28 PM

How awesome would it be if this guy tanked the rest of his career? He’s just as arrogant as Sherman, except he’ likable, so he gets away with it.

snoqualmkanem says:Apr 3, 2014 5:34 PM

He never said it was easy.
Nor did he say he was there or even should be a part of the discussion of “best QB”.
He said he had a long way to go and wanted to be the best.
If your QB, or any other player doesn’t say he wants to be the best.. .time to sign another player.

Russell, you should know better than that. You rode a great team to a super bowl win. Not really that hard to see. Wait until your defense sucks and you have to go against teams geared to shutting you down.

Poor Dilfer. What did he ever do to become such a punching bag? The way people talk about him, it’s like he was an absolute bumbling idiot that somehow tricked the world into giving him a Super Bowl ring.

Wilson’s got his stuff together. Nothing wrong with lofty goals. If there’s anyone that you can put faith in to put the amount of work necessary to become the best ever, Wilson’s your guy. And as far as never doing anything significant from a passing perspective, he DID equal Mr. Manning’s rookie record for TDs thrown…

time2speakup says:Apr 3, 2014 6:05 PM

A 49er fan here since before most hereon were born (can you say Kezar Stadium). Anyway, what I just read was this youngster asking “Why can’t I be… blah, blah” – and there is no reason why he cannot. I’ve only seen the kid play 2 maybe 3 times (we did NOT watch either the last Niners/Seahawks game or Super Bowl). But what I have seen of Wilson, he can play. Among “the best” I’ve seen, no – not by a long shot. And he appears to have at least have more class than that gum chomping HC of his. That man looks nastier chomping that stuff than any cow with a cud – Yuck!

He’s a tremendous player, but how much longer will he have his health and legs? Right now the Seahawks win because of their defense and running game he and Lynch provide. He’s great but the Seahawks would be a good team with anyone at QB.

He has had a 100+ rating in both seasons which is far more telling to a QB’s passing ability than just looking at the “major statistical categories”

He also has thrown for 26 TDs both seasons which comes to a 2 year career td% of 6.5. HIs completion % is also solid as is his low INT % and his yards per attempt figure. Basically, he is efficient which is how QBs should be judged when it comes to passing the football.

Matt Stafford has a 5k passing yard and 40+ td season and he has the highest yards per game average in NFL history at 286 per game. Does anyone think he is elite? No. Why? Because he isn’t consistent in most areas and throws a lot of picks and has 9000000 attempts a year.

Bringing up Seattle’s D is silly as it isn’t like Wilson is being mediocre out there as seen again by his passer rating and those % figures.

I agree that he has a long way to go to be the “best ever” but that is simply because he is only 2 years in. It has nothing to do with him being so-so at passing which this writer is somewhat implying. He’s right now a clearly better player than Luck is yet since the media has hyped up Luck since college they will refuse to admit this.

patsfan112 says:
Somewhere out there in Brazil (where he currently is), Brady is dying from laughter.
—————————————————————-
Did you mean Tom Brady, who is 0-1 against Russell Wilson and hasn’t won a big game in 10 years, or Brady Quinn?

Tom Brady and Manning can’t even run and easy to sack, but their considered among the best ever. Thus, no QB was “ever” perfect. But he’ll have to take up those guys style of play before he can seriously target that goal.
————————————–
That’s because they are traditional, pocket passing QBs (last I checked the prerequisite for a QB was the ability to THROW the ball). Why do these idiots use this as an argument??? I guess I shouldn’t expect much from a person that doesn’t understand the difference between their, they’re, & there.

I predicted that Russell Wilson would be the first one of the young QB group to win the SB when he was drafted by the Hawks and he did in his 2nd year. I’m predicting again that by the time he’s done with his football career, Russell Wilson will be the most SB winning QB (even more than my idol Joe Montana). He’s such an amazing young man! The Hawks are very lucky. Hope they will pay him accordingly next year because he was robbed by being drafted in the 3rd round.

He is 24-8 in the regular season over his first 2 seasons. In that time he has brought his team back in games in which they would have been considered dead and done in during previous seasons.
He is 4-1 in the playoffs. The one playoff loss was a last minute heartbreaking and uncharacteristic breakdown of his team’s secondary against Atlanta. He beat Drew Brees and Peyton Manning on his SB 48 run. He is 3-2 against his arch rival 49’ers, a team that is almost a carbon copy of his own.

He plays in the NFC which at present is a bit tougher than the AFC game in and game out.

His premier receiver was out 99% of the season. His O-line was a patchwork quilt in the SB 48 run.

He may not ever be the “best” QB in the NFL. But he may be among the best that ever played when he hangs up his cleets.

In his second season he has done a lot. Yes he has a dominating defense. But every great QB played on a great team. Montana would tell you that, Elway would tell you that, Marino would tell you that and so would Brady and Manning.

He has stepped up to the plate when he has been asked to produce. Great QB’s have great days and they have bad days. Even Manning had SB 48 which rates as a bad outing for him.

nbarber2013 says:Apr 7, 2014 5:20 PM

I like how people say take away Lynch, or take away some of that defense, and then see how good he is. That doesn’t make sense at all. Take away Deymarious Thomas, Wes Welker, Julius Thomas, and Eric Decker, and Manning wouldn’t do anything. Freaking moronic how people say that. If you take away every team’s good players that would make every QB look worse. Seriously some people are just morons.

Why does poor Dilfer get a pie to the face? I prefer Brad Johnson as my go-to mediocre-QB-who-won-Super Bowl guy.

bpeterson464 says:Apr 8, 2014 11:52 PM

Why do people think he’s arrogant from this comment? He said ““I’m not right now. I’ve got a long way to go. But one day, you know?” That’s someone saying what his dreams are for their future: “Well, I’m a long way away, but if I keep working at it, I think I could make that promotion next year.” That’s essentially what he said, just thinking 12-15 years ahead.

hawkthunder says:Apr 9, 2014 10:35 AM

Do you know how long it takes to develop into a first rate QB??? Well me either but I recently heard Pete Carroll say: “if you think RWilson is fully developed you’re making a tragic conclusion, he has much further to go.”

I just heard Richard Sherman say of his secondary that after 4 years of practicing, watching hours and hours of film, and they probably finish each other’s sentences — they are starting to “click.”

nbarber2013 says:
Apr 7, 2014 5:20 PM
I like how people say take away Lynch, or take away some of that defense, and then see how good he is. That doesn’t make sense at all. Take away Deymarious Thomas, Wes Welker, Julius Thomas, and Eric Decker, and Manning wouldn’t do anything. Freaking moronic how people say that. If you take away every team’s good players that would make every QB look worse. Seriously some people are just morons.
_______________________________

Brady does it with less of a recieving core than anyone else. When he did have a great set of recievers he went undefeated.

Bottom line – every one of you would want a son like Russell Wilson. The kid approaches life the right way.

lp9086 says:Jul 9, 2014 1:56 AM

I’d take either Wilson or Kaepernick on my team and both would be one of my top 5 qb’s that if pick if I were building a team right now. Both are smart qb’s with great potential. Hey stat nerds, fantasy football is exactly that; fantasy…